How many ancient Mayans were there ?

Archaeologists have been studying the ruins at Tikal to determine how many Mayans used to live there.

The Mayan civilization was advanced and prosperous, with the enigmatic pyramid-filled Tikal flourishing for well over 300 years. While we know much about the Mayans, their lifestyles and the ruins they left behind, one thing that remains in question is just how many of them there were. To find this out, researchers have been sifting through the soil in Tikal to find clues in its chemistry.

While estimates vary it is thought that there were up to 100,000 people living in Tikal at the height of the Mayan civilization. "Dirt analysis may not be as sexy as digging up a jade mask from a former Maya king, but now we can answer more questions about the regular people that made up this ancient civilization," said researcher Chris Balzotti.

"The pyramid-filled Maya site of Tikal in Guatemala is one of the largest archaeological complexes in Central America."